But so what ? Do we need this? Incendiary language has replaced the canes and guns elected officials routinely brought to the chamber and used at the seat of government in the 1800s. It is no longer enough to disagree; in today’s climate, politicians and activists must delegitimize their opponents. There isn’t a chance we can solve grave problems when spokesmen for the extremes accuse the other side of fostering or attempting to profit from murder.

We haven’t heard enough people step up this week to laud public servants like Giffords, who strengthen the system with consensus and centrist policies, or to affirm the value of a lawmaker, like Giffords, who as a Democrat managed to be reelected in a Republican district during a Republican wave with a proven record of political independence and pragmatism.

And we haven’t heard enough people ask why Loughner could have passed a federal background check to purchase a gun. How we can protect Americans congregating in a grocery store parking lot to constructively engage in their democracy if we can’t protect the professor who feared Loughner would one day bring a gun to class and shoot as she turned her back to face the board?